Playing With My First SLR

[H2O]

I found a great deal on a T1i combo at Bestbuy that I couldn't resist, so I decided that it was worth the extra $$$ over a XSi.

Here are some of my better shots (over 300 in the last 24 hours!) I'm surprised at how much I have learned over the last 24 hours, especially how easy it is to balance out the Tv, Av, and ISO settings.

For the product type shots, I simply used some white craft paper for the background and natural lighting from the windows, which are right above. I plan on making a lightbox sometime in the near future.

C&C welcome.

Rebel T1i
TV: 1/25
ISO: 200
Lens: EF-S 18-55, focal length 23mm
Av: 4.5
WB: Daylight



Rebel T1i
TV: 1/25
ISO: 800
Lens: EF-S 18-55, focal length 55mm
Av: 5.6
WB: Custom



Rebel T1i
TV: 1/25
ISO: 200
Lens: EF-S 18-55, focal length 55mm
Av: 5.6
WB: Custom



Rebel T1i
TV: 1/20
ISO: 800
Lens: EF-S 18-55, focal length 40mm
Av: 5.6
WB: Daylight

[Mescalamba]

That last one is nice.

[Lestat]

a deal at best buy ? i dont believe it... joking,, but serious.

looks like you got the body with the standard 18-55mm lens.
if you paid more than 750 for it you got robbed.
if you paid less it was an ok deal.

now go spend $99 somewhere for the canon 50mm F/1.8 prime lens and start to enjoy your camera.

dont forget that auto white balance is pretty yucky...

take a coffe filter and cover the end of the lens and take a picture in the same environment you want to take a regular picture.
then go into the menu and choose custom white balance then select that white-ish picture you just took.
now set the white balance to custom white balance and start taking pictures.
notice how they are not all yellow/orange like your first picture?

coffee filter white balance is, many times, a little on the cool side but its better than the auto balance of the camera.
outdoors pictures produce a better auto white balance.

[H2O]

Thanks guys.

Yeah I was actually surprised that BestBuy had such a great deal. I was in there on Saturday looking at cameras and the TLi was $800 so I went home planning to order it online. I went back Sunday to look one more time and they had lowered the price to $750 and there was a special for a T1i + the Canon Starter Kit (bag, extra battery, UV filter) + an 8GB Scandisk Professional SDHC card for $850.

Thanks for the tips about the white balance. I went out after the first shot and bought the paper that was used in the background, and I used it to set the white balance. In the last picture, there was not enough sunlight to show the proper white balance (even after resetting it several times) so I set it to Daylight, which gave the background a nice blue tint that (IMO) looks better as it helps the ball pop out a little more.

[lkiller123]

$750 was only a decent "deal" on the T1i. And the starter kit definitely ripped you off..

[labs23]

Good luck with your new cam.
I like the third shot, partly because I like that fan also, LOL.

Anyway, don't forget what Lestat said about that dirt cheap 50mm prime lens, it'll be a good addition.

[dutnguye]

Yea, you can get the T1i cheaper from amazon a month back along with an better lense i believe

[Lestat]

hey H2O dont be to mad but the T2i is coming out in March (or was it april i forget) and it is going to simply kick the living sh|t out of the T1i.......
dont you just hate it when you buy something and then a month or 2 later something better (and in this case i do mean BETTER) comes out.

[H2O]

Yes, I knew the 550D was coming out in a few months, but I decided to go with a T1i because it was cheaper, and I didn't want to wait several months for the camera to become widely available. Looking at the list of changes, there isn't really anything major, so I am not too disappointed that I went with a T1i. It is a great camera, and the $200 I saved would be better put towards my build or maybe a new lens.

[Elisha]

Actually the changes are pretty big for a Rebel but there is no point waiting for something new to come out if you need something now.